


More Things Change..., The

by westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist



Category: The West Wing
Genre: Episode: s06e22 2162 Votes, F/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-09-11
Updated: 2008-09-11
Packaged: 2019-05-30 09:53:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,863
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15094301
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist/pseuds/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist
Summary: Yet another ending for 2162 Votes. This gives a glimpse into the minds of Leo and Josh.





	More Things Change..., The

**Author's Note:**

> A copy of this work was once archived at National Library, a part of the [ West Wing Fanfiction Central](https://fanlore.org/wiki/West_Wing_Fanfiction_Central), a West Wing fanfiction archive. More information about the Open Doors approved archive move can be found in the [announcement post](http://archiveofourown.org/admin_posts/8325).

Leo sighed. The responsibility for getting the Democratic Convention to run smoothly had been dropped right at his door. In some ways he enjoyed the role of party elder but had everyone forgotten he’d had massive heart attack? People knew he was supposed to ease up on the stress and yet they’d saddled him with the job of refereeing the squabbles about room size, location and order of speaking.

Leo looked around the table. Representatives from Santos, Russell and Hoynes sat there, acting like spoilt children as they argued for the perceived entitlements. Leo was rapidly losing patience and his voice reflected his mood.

“We’re gonna sort out the order of speaking and I’ll hear no more discussion about it. Rock, paper, scissors and we all accept the outcome. Ok?”

The three teams all grumbled.

“Ok?” Leo asked, a little more forcefully. 

Josh, Will and Hoynes’ guy all stood up, silently agreeing to Leo’s decision.

After all was done and dusted and the room had cleared, Leo sat down to draw breath. As he felt himself relax, his mind wandered. It was only the beginning of the long days ahead where everyone concerned would be operating on little sleep, too much caffeine and food that was quick to eat but lacking in nutrition. He reflected on the times he’d been preparing Bartlet for the conventions. Things seemed to go more smoothly in those days. He thought of Josh who Leo had seen grow and mature. He wasn’t the same guy he’d invited to hear Jed Bartlet speak all those years ago. The passion and the commitment to the greater good were still very much in evidence. But he’d developed a strength that allowed him to stand up to Leo and President Bartlet and forge his own career out of their shadow. His ego was more in check but Leo suspected that would always be bubbling away under the surface unless there was someone to give him a reality check from time to time. 

That thought led him to Donna. Josh and Donna had both sat around the table today, barely speaking or making eye contact with each other. The iciness between them had thawed somewhat in recent months but the distance between them was painfully obvious, especially to people who had seen them in happier days. Leo could quite cheerfully give them both a whack to the back of the head. Here were two people, clearly in love with each other, totally suited to each other who provided one other with the balance the other needed and pride, fear and stubbornness was keeping them apart. With a shake of his head, Leo stood up, ready to move on to whatever task now needed his attention.

Another day dawned and the machinations of the Convention were swinging into action. It was early morning and Leo wandered through the backstage area of the auditorium. He saw a familiar figure, slumped on the floor, back up against the wall. Leo stopped, poured a cup of coffee and walked towards Josh.

“When was the last time you slept in a bed?” he asked as he offered Josh the coffee.

“I don’t remember,” was Josh’s weary response.

He looked like crap but Leo knew Josh wouldn’t rest until the convention had chosen its candidate. Leo also couldn’t help but wonder if Josh had someone to share his bed, he might be more inclined to spend a few hours in it each night! Again, his thoughts turned to Donna but he couldn’t let it dwell there except to wonder if she was sleeping any better.

Josh’s POV

He was exhausted. The pressure of the last few days had been intense. Josh and the Congressman had been under increasing pressure to release their delegates and step aside for the good of the party. The thought of not achieving what he’d set out to do weighed heavily on his conscience but the Congressman appeared to accept defeat. Matt and Helen Santos stood backstage with him as the congressman prepared to speak. 

Josh couldn’t hear their conversation but as far as he was concerned their body language was doing all the talking. The messages communicated with their eye contact and gentle touches spoke of a deep love, pride and enduring support. Josh was trying to give them privacy but he couldn’t take his eyes of them. His heart ached with the realization he was jealous. He wanted that. He wanted that devotion to each other, that ability to communicate without words, that love and support for each other. What made his stomach clench was his awareness that he’d had all that and he’d let it go. He knew some people would be stunned at his insight of what he’d had, to know how he felt about Donna. But on some level, he’d always known. And the expression ‘You don’t know what you’ve got until its gone’ played across his mind daily. He dearly missed her presence in his life.

He jumped as Leo silently walked up behind him and spoke “They’re quite the team. It’s a wondrous thing to see two people who are bound together by love, family and unfailing support.” He looked over at Josh, knowing he had his attention. “Don’t blow your chance to have that, kid. Be a man. Swallow your pride and start building bridges.” With that he left Josh to process what Leo had just said while also concentrating on the moment unfurling before him on the monitor. Santos’ speech was passionate and inspiring. The audience was in the palm of his hand. He wasn’t giving in. Game on! Josh needed his mind focused on what needed to be done next. Leo’s words would have to wait. 

Leo’s POV

“Matthew Vincent Santos and Leo Thomas McGarry.” The words reverberated around the auditorium to thunderous applause. Leo was beaming as the adrenalin surged through his body. He knew he’d just agreed to take on a stressful lifestyle and potentially a stressful job. But Leo served the people and his party. Let the voters decide if this team was what they wanted.

Santos looked into the audience and off into the wings. He saw many faithful workers, paid and voluntary, who’d helped get him to this point. He wanted to be sure to thank them all. He realized the most important man was absent.

“Where’s Josh?” he shouted in Leo’s ear, trying to make himself heard above the cheers and chants.

Recalling his earlier comment and how he’d questioned Josh about “celebrating with your guys”, he smiled and reassured Santos.

“He’s fine. He’s where he wants to be.” Santos looked confused at Leo’s cryptic answer but there was not time to dig deeper. They were both swept along in the euphoria of the moment.

Josh’s POV

“Celebrate with your guys,” Leo had said. “Swallow your pride,” Leo had challenged.

Josh’s work for the night was done. He didn’t have to think to deeply about Leo’s words. There was only one person he wanted to be with tonight. Donna was the only person he wanted to celebrate with. But her candidate had lost. He wondered if she was sorry or secretly glad. Either way, he wanted to show her his support and be a comfort to her if she was feeling bad.

“Be a man,” Leo’s taunting words galvanized him into action. Things had been better between him and Donna but Josh knew and hoped it could be better. Without giving it too much thought, he grabbed 3 beers and a bottle opener and made his way to Russell’s war room. He didn’t say a word as he handed one bottle to Will and the other to Donna. Feet up on the table, he settled back to enjoy the moment with the one person who mattered the most to him.

As the Convention coverage drew to a close, the room began to empty out. Finally Josh and Donna were the only ones left. Although Josh wasn’t necessarily sure that was by design. He was just too exhausted to move! Donna looked over at him and smiled “You did good.”

Simple words but ones that meant so much to both of them. Josh had realized long ago that Donna was his moral compass and if in her eyes he’d done the right thing, then that was all the affirmation he needed. Honestly! The rest was just a bonus.

He stood up. “Thanks,” he said unable to tear his eyes from hers. God, he missed her.

“C’mon, we should go. The cleaners will want to get in here, not to mention the tech crew. There’s a lot of packing up to do,” he held out his hand to her to help her up. Donna slowly rose from her chair but the exhaustion of the last few days took its toll and she swayed, stumbling into Josh. His hands automatically went around her to steady her, her hands resting on his chest. It may have been a reflex action but neither was willing to move away.

“Donna,” he began.

“Shh, you talk too much,” she whispered, her eyes closed. If Josh stopped to think he would have realized she was savouring being in his arms!

Josh knew this was the moment that he couldn’t let go by. God knows, they’d had chances in the past. But one or both of them had always let the opportunities slip by. Taking a deep breath he said “I just want to say I know I haven’t been your favourite person lately and I hope this doesn’t sound out of line but I’ve been missing my friend and I thought maybe we could have dinner sometimes, somewhere?” All of these words came out in a rush.

“You want to have dinner with Sam?”

Josh smiled at her teasing tone. If she was speaking to him like this, maybe things were getting back to normal between them.

His arms were still around her and he gave her a gentle shake.

“No, Ms-Mouth-Full-of-Wise-Ass. I want to have dinner with you.”

“Ah,”

“Yes.”

“We’ve got a lot to talk about,” her voice sounded a warning. 

“I know. I hate the fact that things have been so awful between us.”

“Well then we’d better have dinner.

“Somewhere.”

“Anywhere.”

“You’re almost dropping, time to get you out of here.”

Leo’s POV

Leo came around the corner of the corridor, smirking slightly as he saw them. They were walking slowly, almost shuffling, exhaustion radiating from both of them. But what made Leo smile was the picture of them, arms around each other.

“I hope you two are headed to bed?”

Slowly they turned, their faces bright red.

“Leo…what…we’re…” they both spluttered.

“Oh for God’s sake, you’re both so tired you can barely walk. I’m not sure who is holding who up.”

“We’re holding…”Josh began and Donna finished “…each other up.”

Leo smirked. “Ain’t that the truth? That’s the way it’s always been with you kids. Sleep well.”

Leo watched them disappear towards the elevator, reassured that although Josh and Donna had a long way to go to repair their relationship, tonight had seen them start on the right path.”


End file.
